ICON Income Fund Ten, LLC, is in the process of liquidation, states Businessweek in a recent article. ICON engages in purchasing and leasing equipment to third parties; provides equipment financing; and acquires ownership rights to leased equipment at lease expiration in the United States and the United Kingdom. This company’s portfolio of equipment comprises container […]

On July 25th., 2012, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Baton Rouge, La.,  charged Timothy R. Schlatre with mail fraud, money laundering and asset forfeiture for his alleged role in a life insurance scam. Schlarte was an agent for New York Life Insurance Co. and Lincoln National Corp. He allegedly made hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions by selling […]

In a recent SEC complaint, there were allegations made against The Nutmeg Group, LLC, and others, that Nutmeg has invested fund assets almost entirely in private investments in public equity ("PIPE") transactions. Nutmeg was an investment adviser of 15 funds.  The SEC alleges in it's complaint that Nutmeg improperly commingled investor and fund assets, and misappropriated over $4 million in fund assets, failed to maintain […]

JHS Capital Advisors Inc. and a former broker, Enver R. Alijaj, were fined $1.9 million in a Finra arbitration last week stemming from allegations that the broker traded in a client's account excessively to generate commissions. The broker was also forced to pay $500,000 to settle a previous charge of churning. Churning is illegal and unethical. On the […]

Thomas Edward Kelly (CRD #1386403, Registered Principal, Johnson City, New York) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Kelly consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he engaged in a scheme to defraud investors, including firm customers, of funds totaling […]

  Kyle Timothy Holland (CRD #2308543, Registered Principal, Austin, Texas)  was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Holland consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that, acting in the capacity of his member firm’s managing director, he engaged in activities requiring […]

  Randy Craig Hester (CRD #1382578, Registered Representative, Highland Park, Illinois)   was censured, fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any member firm in any capacity for one year. The fine must be paid either immediately upon Hester’s reassociation with a FINRA member firm following his suspension, or prior to the filing of any […]

In a press-release dated July 2nd, 2012, from their website, The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced a pilot program specifically designed for large arbitration cases for claims of $10 million or more. This program enables parties to customize the administrative process to better suit special needs of the larger case and allows them to bypass certain FINRA […]

FINRA announced Thursday that Bank of America Merrill Lynch was fined $2.8 million  for supervisory lapses that led to its overcharging customers $32 million for the past eight years. According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) and the Bank of America Corp., Merrill Lynch has repaid 95,000 customers who were charged unwarranted fees due to computer coding issues […]